Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hi, the wife and I are trying to decide if moving out of New England is for the best. I mean we don't enjoy winter, but we tolerate it so weather really isn't a huge deciding factor.
Our biggest factor is that we currebtly are scraping by making $50,000 a year. We currently rent a floor for $400 A month. We could afford a rent for $800 A month but nothing of that exist up here.
The other factors are where we are from in New England is a small State with small services, but that makes the population feel more dense. Wife and I are both trying to go back to school. However, limited programs make them very competitive. We are considering move to a State where there is an unlimited number of programs and flexibility to take classes.
If you had to compare New England (CT area) with States like North Carolina, Texas, Nevada, Virginia, or Arizona who would you pick?
Pick as far as least tax burden, where $40,000 to $50,000 A year go far for 2 adults, best outdoor activities, and has lots of college's/universities?
Location: That star on your map in the middle of the East Coast, DMV
8,128 posts, read 7,547,924 times
Reputation: 5785
You should consider the Mid-Atlantic IMO, but somewhere outside the expensive immediate DC-Baltimore-VA I-95 corridor. Somewhere close to the Chesapeake Bay maybe, or if you like to go inland towards the mountains.
You should consider the Mid-Atlantic IMO, but somewhere outside the expensive immediate DC-Baltimore-VA I-95 corridor. Somewhere close to the Chesapeake Bay maybe, or if you like to go inland towards the mountains.
We looked at Virginia. Applied to a job in the Virginia Beach area. A few in Fairfax. The job in Fairfax makes about the same I make in CT and COL seems more there. I looked at a job in Richmond but has some uncertainties for not applying. Wife and I tried to find inexpensive rents had little luck think that's what brought us to look at NC. With NC very little job opportunities for me and if any large pay cut.
Then we looked at Florida jobs were spread out so it's an option.
Texas had the most job opportunities. Pay didn't seem to be a huge difference and COL appears the least in expensive.
Found jobs in Phoenix and Nevada but they don't make more than $15 an hour. Looking at rents in the area seems expensive for us.
Did consider applying to a few jobs in Maryland. Have yet to do much research on Maryland.
Tennessee is the only state that does not have a durational component for establishing residency for in-state tuition, meaning you can move to Tennessee, secure a job, establish residency, and register for college and pay in-state tuition. Most states require that you live there for 12 months before qualifying for in-state tuition.
Tennessee also has free community college tuition for anyone, but for that you do have to have been a resident of the state for 12 months before qualifying.
I'll recommend the college town of Cookeville, Tennessee. It's home to a mid-major state university and also has a community college branch campus. Tennessee is a very low tax state, and Cookeville has low cost of living, a booming economy, and is located in a beautiful area. There are 100 waterfalls and 1,200 miles of shoreline within 40 miles of Cookeville, for example. And Cookeville is only an hour from Nashville.
---
its - possession
it's - contraction of it is
your - possession
you're - contraction of you are
their - possession
they're - contraction of they are
there - referring to a place
loose - opposite of tight
lose - opposite of win
who's - contraction of who is
whose - possession
alot - NOT A WORD
If you like Virginia and NC I’d keep trying Richmond, Charlottesville, Va Beach, Raleigh, Greensboro, Charlotte away from the larger high cost of living cities in the Bos Wash corridor, but ironically the big cities is where the money usually is found. Good luck.
I'd say Texas is probably going to offer the most COL options. Places such as San Antonio and Houston areas. Austin and Dallas are more expensive. Overall Texas seems to keep a strong economy. There is no state income tax in Texas.
Florida has become rather expensive anywhere you would want to live. Add the constant influx of people, it is extremely transient and pay is not adequate here.
NC is growing fast and has the tax structure to try and keep up. A lot of different taxes in that state.
Ariz and Nevada. Do Alot of research on these areas, because their growing fast and that brings. Serious problems. I don't believe those states pay all that well.
Wherever you decide to relocate to. I think you will find rents have risen dramatically. The country as a whole needs to address the issue. People literally cannot find one room to rent, at a fair price in this country.
AZ good pay and good COL overall. I got paid really well there. Lots of colleges in Phoenix. Rents aren't bad in certain areas. You'd have to look at outside suburbs, Mesa, Tempe, Peoria, Glendale. Property taxes are generally lower. Hot as heck though in the summer months and late spring, early fall. Tucson, not sure about university there. I think rents very affordable though.
NC, RDU has the universities, not a cheap area at all unless you're from high COL/Property tax states like NY/NY/CT. All relative. Greensboro, better COL, not sure about college classes. W/Salem nice smallish town, good COL, not sure about classes though?
I know from some research Richmond area isn't cheap. Maybe outlying cities the rent would be more affordable--Chester, Chesterfield? Universities there.
Texas has high property taxes, but I am not well acquainted w/ it.
40-50K for two adults is pretty low in any part of the country unless you're in some middle of no where town with a population of like 50.
Regarding college, most schools now have fully online programs which might make sense for you guys.
If you can tolerate heat and humidity, Raleigh or Atlanta could work for you. They're not as walkable or dense as what you're use to though and they're heavily car dependent which was the biggest shock to me when I moved south.
Generally speaking, Midland cities (e.g., Columbus, Cincinnati, Louisville, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Dallas-Fort Worth, etc.) offer the best income-to-COL ratio in the US. Additionally, Midland cities tend to be less transient and more "homegrown" than the classic Sun Belt cities, such as Las Vegas, Orlando and Tampa, for example, so there is a greater sense of community and social support in the Midland that will likely better assist you and your family in getting established, especially if you're open to joining a church and/or other community-based organizations.
Last edited by Bert_from_back_East; 03-17-2018 at 03:12 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
